Stoke City: Fans have their say on Stoke's defeat at Arsenal
AFTER the poor away performances we have endured over the past few weeks I didn't expect many Stokies to travel to The Emirates, so it was a pleasant surprise to see a really good turnout.
It was the Gunners fans who stayed away as there were many empty seats all around the stadium.
I don't think many of us enjoy our annual pilgrimage to The Emirates.
And after the poor Stoke performances we have endured both home and away recently, the consensus among visiting fans was that we were going to get hammered. To be honest, I wasn't optimistic either.
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However, this was a much better performance than I expected, with more commitment, and much better defending.
Arsenal had their chances, but Asmir Begovic was up to the challenge and pulled off three tremendous saves to keep them out.
The goal was a strange affair as first it was, then it wasn't ... and then referee Chris Foy predictably said it was.
Unfortunately, I left the Emirates confused as to why a two-footed tackle on Michael Owen resulted in a free kick to the Gunners.
SUE BRYAN Meir Park
I DIDN'T feel like paying Arsenal's inflated admission prices just to see us park the bus. Although we didn't do that, we still had 10 players behind the ball for most of the game.
It was a mixture of Asmir Begovic's heroics in goal, some good defensive work and poor finishing by the Gunners that kept the score even.
It took a controversial goal – some Stokies thought an Arsenal player was in an offside position – as the ball flew in to the net off a Stoke player in the defensive wall. Game set and match to Arsenal. We played like a rabbit stuck in a car's headlights.
DAVE HARRISON Eaton Park
ALTHOUGH The Emirates is very new, it is still cold when there is a strong easterly wind blowing.
As expected, we started with a lone striker. Unexpected was Geoff Cameron playing in midfield.
The Gunners came at us in full force, with Asmir Begovic needing to pull off a couple of fine saves.
Controversy surrounded their goal. Had the old offside rule still applied it would have been disallowed, but such is life.
Putting three subs on at the same is not a usual tactic for TP, but we had nothing to loose. Unfortunately, it was a case of too little, too late.
ROGER DAVIS Stafford
15 Comments
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by Stars-stripes
Wednesday, February 06 2013, 7:06PM
“Does anybody remember Ade Akinbiyi's bullet header against Reading on the final day of 2002/3 season to stop us from being relegated to the third tier of English football.
Sign up for stoke city on Facebook what a relief to read positive things about stoke city instead of whining drivel from fifth columnists”
by jswords
Wednesday, February 06 2013, 6:53AM
“Yes nice Posting JonesMyboy and for most Stoke fans, it's a long wait
for the next home game to try and 'put it right'.
Unfortunately, there is no guarantee
that this next game is a home banker, given that Reading have been
the in-form side 'of late'.
But be assured, Mr Pulis will remind us all before Saturday
what a hard game it will be and what a great team Reading are now.”
by Pottersruleok
Tuesday, February 05 2013, 10:46PM
“Jonesmyboy, very good and honest post. One thing that I would change however is your comment about Coates' possible concern of poor performances "of late". If you look at the last 3 seasons, including this one, you will see that these problems arise every time after Christmas. That our poor away form has been an ongoing thing since Pulis took over and that after all the money spent who would have thought that we could be scoring even fewer goals this season than our club record low of last season.
In my opinion, that is what fans are concerned about as it seems to be a constant thing, not "of late"”
by darleystokie
Tuesday, February 05 2013, 6:56PM
“No doubt Pulis is saying to Kemp 'Just ten 0-0 draws and we're safe'”
by Stars-stripes
Tuesday, February 05 2013, 6:48PM
“Just read Peter Coates has got planning permission to expand the ground.”
by Jonesmyboy
Tuesday, February 05 2013, 1:47PM
“Is it not the case that no-one expected a Stoke Victory at Arsenal or even to
get a point and is it not the case that no-one expected a different display
from a Stoke side away from home.
Accepting this, then surely it became a question of how many goals would
be conceded. In the event a commendable first half by Begovitch and a
referee who showed unexpected leniencey to 2 or 3 Stoke players kept the
score down to one, in a game which Aresnal looked comfortable winners.
The Stoke fans wait eagerly for the next home game to put things right and
a chance to gain a win in front of their home crowd which may be deteriorating
in numbers based on the evidence of Posters on here and the dissenting voices
which could be heard at the last home game when a 2 - 0 lead was wiped out.
It is a concern to hear of long-time supporters vowing not to purchase Season
tickets in ufture and this concern must by now have reached the notice of the
Coates family.
Indeed, I would think by now that Peter Coates must privately be concerned
with the regular poor displays of late.”
by defjamrcs
Monday, February 04 2013, 2:39PM
“How on earth was Shotton to blame hemheath?
It was Walcott skipping away from Wilko down the other side and getting brought down from behind which led to us conceding a foul”
by Pottersruleok
Monday, February 04 2013, 1:40PM
“After poor away performances the last couple of weeks ?? Sue, we have been having poor away performances for the past couple of seasons now. It's just that in this so called season of evolution and our squad being the best ever, Tony Pulis still has absolutely no clue what he is doing and this season's performances have been worse than ever.
Nothing changes !”
by hemheath
Monday, February 04 2013, 12:19PM
“Simple really it is just not good enough.
Shocking sorry Shotton to blame again!!!! out of position.
Championship defending from Shocking and Wilkinson, Reading will be looking forward to 3 points on the road Saturday. Shocking and Wilko have been found out now.
If you watch the game closley Huth and Shawcross keep getting pulled wide it can only be because they don't believe in the left and right back doing there job.
Then leaves gaps and the rest is history, result being we keep loosing. If it was not for Bego we would be in a relagation battle as the goals are not going the other end to. Due to the so called wide players not performing.
Pennant is possibly the best crosser of the ball at the club and can't get a start. FACT when he was playing all the talk was Crouchy for England why because he was banding in the goals because he was being fed correctly.”
by gerbstoke
Monday, February 04 2013, 11:39AM
“If he picks his usual team that includes the two plodders Whelan and Walters and we go one down to Reading I think that we may hear Pulis getting a bit of flack. You see by including these two players and never subbing them sets the fans off in the wrong frame of mind before a ball as been kicked!”